A Study on Heaven's "Big Birth Announcement" in Luke 2:8-20!...
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were all given a test before King Nebuchadnezzar: worship the king’s gods and live or don’t worship them and die (Daniel 3:13-15). Without hesitation, the trio responded with their allegiance to the one true God. They knew He was still sovereign whether He delivered them from the fiery furnace or not (3:16-18)......
In my previous post, we looked at how Christians should respond to other believers who differ in matters of conscience (e.g. wearing face masks, getting vaccines, etc.). We saw that we don’t use our freedom in these matters as an opportunity for division or pride, but rather to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). We demonstrate love to one another by putting other’s interests above our own (Philippians 2:3-4). And so the law of love trumps division over differences of opinion on these issues. But how do we as believers respond to the world which differs from us (and not just in matters of conscience)? How do we glorify God in our response to a world that is often hostile to the church?...
The world is in turmoil right now. At the forefront of the uproar are the matters surrounding the coronavirus and justice. Camps have formed on these issues with gaping chasms dividing opinions. To further complicate matters, everything is politicized. Wearing a mask in public, posting certain slogans on social media, agreeing or disagreeing with the president or governor all automatically place you into a particular camp....
It is easy to overlook beautiful truths that can change our lives as we read the Bible. We may miss these truths because we are distracted or are so familiar with the text or simply because we don’t understand it. Or it could be that there is another incredible truth that we focus on that causes us to miss the other truth in the same passage. This is what happened to me as I read John 12:25-26...
They do wrong and evil. They know it and yet keep doing it. They even give approval to others who do it. This is Paul’s point in Romans 1:32: They do wrong. They know it’s wrong. They even condone such wrongs. If I were to discuss this with the average Christian, who would they think I was describing? Them. The culture. The world......
In my previous post , we looked at how trusting in the sovereignty of God leads to great comfort. He holds all things together (Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:2-3) and works all things according to the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11). In these truths, we find great comfort in any circumstance. But we don’t only have a God who is in control; we have a God who is here with us. In today’s post, we will consider four comforting truths of how the sovereign God is with us in our circumstances....
People often view prayer in simplistic terms: Prayer is about telling God what you want and waiting for Him to give it to you. Sure, you thank Him when He does what you want, and you give Him praise to make sure He’s listening, but prayer is a magic formula to make your life better and satisfy your desires. This popular conception runs into problems when your prayers aren’t answered the way you expect them to be. The question becomes what went wrong. Was God not listening? Was your faith too weak? Is God punishing you? ...
The coronavirus crisis has infected us with a myriad of what if questions. What if my elderly parents contract the disease? What if my high-risk wife gets sick? What if my kids catch it? What if I lose my job? What if I have to close my business and claim bankruptcy? What if a loved one dies? What if I die? ...
All of humanity is born with the innate ability to blame others for their problems. We are capable of surveying any problematic circumstance and finding someone or something to blame. Even if outwardly we profess ownership of a problem, we can find a way to justify our action or inaction inwardly. Perhaps it is not difficult for you to remember some recent issue that arose privately or publicly for which you have found a way to justify by thinking or stating that it was the fault of someone else. Indeed, if you have said, thought, or done something wrong, it must be due to another person or an external factor over which you had no control, right?...
When the world seems to be falling apart, people seek hope. They are looking for something to hold on to, anything that will help them get through their crisis. They are looking not only to weather the storm but to find themselves in an even better place than they had been. Hope is a powerful motivator and comfort, enabling us to survive and endure while we wait for the better days to come....
Our culture is a culture of more. Buy more things. Make more money to buy more things. Sign up for more activities. Be more relevant. Take up more hobbies. Be more connected. Work more hours. More. More. More. In a society that screams, “Do more. Be more. Spend more,” is it any wonder why being content seems impossible?...
Two thousands years ago Paul of Tarsus was in a jail cell in Rome writing a letter to his beloved church, the Philippians. The imprisonment wasn’t easy on him. Roman prisons were very different from ours. He relied on others for food and clothing. But as hard as it was physically, we can imagine it was even more so emotionally. He was separated from most people, torn about what to do next, and uncertain when he’d die (Philippians 1:22). Yet as we read Philippians we notice a man of joy and peace. With unbending authenticity, he oozed a special contentment and security in his words. How could this be? How could he have such joy and peace in his trying circumstances? How can we?...
Our affections are important to God. The affections we have will be determinative of our actions, both today and for the remainder of the lives we have been granted here on earth. This is why, when asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus quotes from the book of Deuteronomy. “‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment’” (Matthew 22:36-38). The greatest command is a command to love. “You shall love.” The object of our affection is commanded to be the Lord....
Yesterday was Good Friday. Tomorrow Jesus is going to rise. But Saturday he’s in the tomb. What is the significance of today? There’s many answers. Our God is a God of beautiful design and reasoning. This gospel plan...
For many people, family ties are very important. The connection that we have with our parents, our siblings, our children, or other relatives is one we do not want to lose. Even where the whole family isn’t very close, we usually have one or two family members with whom we share a special bond. When a family relationship is broken, we are devastated. If we are able to restore our relationship with a family member, there is a joy and satisfaction that is like no other we have in life....
These verses contain two of Jesus’s last seven sayings as He hung on the cross. They are the shortest of the sayings, consisting of only five words combined (and only two words total in the original Greek). But do not mistake the brevity of these sayings with having a shallow meaning. Rather these two words from Christ have profound meaning and implications....
On the cross, suffering for the sins of the others, Jesus never forgot his mission. He came to fulfill the promise that had been given to Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:15), the words that had been given to the prophets, and the hope that had been in the hearts of God’s people. Jesus, speaking to Zacchaeus, spoke clearly about his Father-mandated mission, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10)....
Our Lord’s words here tell a precious promise. A guilty, crucified criminal is heading to Paradise. The same day he’s punished for his crimes, he’s promised by his Creator to be in glory. How did such a drastic change of destinations come about for this thief? Why did Jesus say what he did?...
In preparation for Good Friday, I have been looking over the readings for the Tenebrae service. The first reading is from Psalm 2. It is a psalm that in its historical context referred to the rightful Davidic king of Israel, but has been seen throughout history as referring to the Messiah. To some it seems out of place on Good Friday, with its insistence on the right of God’s Anointed One to rule and the ultimate pronouncement of judgment on those who reject His authority. Yet in a way it is a reminder of why Jesus, the Messiah, had to come and to give Himself as the sacrifice for the sins of humanity. I see three ways the psalmist reminds us of our need and God’s provision....
We see over and over how people or symbols in the Old Testament point to a greater fulfillment in Christ. Some person or object in the Old Testament imperfectly exhibits a characteristic, office, or function that foreshadows its perfect realization in Jesus. For instance, the first created man, Adam, was always pointing to the last Adam, who is Christ (1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Romans 5:12-21). David, the great king of Israel, was always pointing to the eternal King Jesus (Revelation 17:14; 1 Timothy 6:13-15). The high priests in the Old Testament were pointing to the great high priest, who offers up one sacrifice for the sins of the world (Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 10:11-14). The Passover lamb sacrificed in order to deliver the Israelites from bondage in Egypt was always pointing to Jesus, the Lamb of God, who would be sacrificed to free God’s people from their bondage to sin (John 1:29)....
We are motivated by what we love; we are driven by what we believe is valuable. As has been said often, if you want to know what someone loves, see how they use their time. Let’s take this same principle and press it into the individual a few steps deeper. Rather than looking at how we spend our time, let us instead consider our thoughts. Our minds tell the story of how we view the world, and it is within our thoughts that the true condition of our hearts is on full display. Unfortunately, we take little time to make an effort to reign in our thoughts. Too often we let them run free because they are hidden, invisible to the world, and free from judgment. This is an abomination to our God who has rescued us from bondage (Romans 6), including the bondage of our thoughts. Indeed, Scripture repeatedly calls on us to be intentional with our thoughts. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable...
Psalm 91 promises, “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.” (Psalm 91:4-6) This is God promise. It’s true. Yet pestilence and disease do come. Even to Christians. Such as right now. How then do we answer this? Is the promise void?...
In times like these, people may question everything they thought was true. Our world is turned upside-down. Things we took for granted are no longer available, our daily routine is restricted, and the future is so uncertain we’re not even sure how worried we ought to be. When our world is this crazy, it can be tempting to question where God is in all of this....
Our circumstances are far different from what they were two weeks ago. Everything is canceled and closed. Required social distancing. Increased restrictions. Mandatory self-isolation. Our world has been turned upside down. If you polled people and asked them, “How are you feeling?”, you can imagine what the most common answers would be. Anxiety. Fear. Worry. Boredom. Loneliness. Antsy. Uneasiness with the unknown. Depressed. Would you be surprised if some answered...joy?...
Most of us have grown accustomed to a world that has readily offered an incredible variety of options to chase. I certainly don’t mean that we have all had equal opportunities. More accurately stated, the world has always provided many things to which we could give our time, money, talents, and attention—our worship. While some of these are undoubtedly sinful pursuits, many, if not most, of them are neutral. They are neither good nor bad, just options that we can choose. But don’t miss this point: the choice that is neutral becomes sinful when we let it become central. Our hearts are revealed by what takes priority, what we enjoy most, and what we give ourselves to most—what becomes central....
You could look back at this coronavirus season as one of the times where you grew exponentially in Christ. Or not. We each have the opportunity years from now to remember this season...
Our nation and our world are in a state of panic right now. The COVID-19 virus has had long-reaching and devastating effects not only on the health of people but on the economic well-being of billions. People are uncertain about their future, frightened of a potentially deadly disease, and seeking any answers they can find to the question of what their future holds. In our own nation, many people have had their lives turned upside-down with the restrictions and cautions of government and health officials....
Almost everyone is working from home, schools are closed, nearly everything is shut down, sporting events are canceled, events and gatherings are postponed, and now a statewide curfew of 8PM is in place (which is earlier than what we would impose on teens), so we should have more time to pray than ever....
America is in the midst of a crisis unlike anything most of us have ever seen in our lifetime. And, as a result, we have an opportunity for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to shine in our homes and throughout our community. While the world buys the panic and fear that coronavirus offers in abundance, the Church, and each family, can instead bring glory to God by reflecting the peace and hope that he gives to his people (Phil. 4:6-7)....
Coronavirus is spreading fast. Schools are being shut down. Events have been cancelled. And governments all over the globe are buckling down in an attempt to halt the pandemic. How are we as Christians to respond? While God’s world seems to be in panic, how are God’s people to act?...
They do wrong and evil. They know it and yet keep doing it. They even give approval to others who do it. This is Paul’s point in Romans 1:32: They do wrong. They know it’s wrong. They even condone such wrongs. If I were to discuss this with the average Christian, who would they think I was describing? Them. The culture. The world......
Keep Reading Two thousands years ago Paul of Tarsus was in a jail cell in Rome writing a letter to his beloved church, the Philippians. The imprisonment wasn’t easy on him. Roman prisons were very different from ours. He relied on others for food and clothing. But as hard as it was physically, we can imagine it was even more so emotionally. He was separated from most people, torn abo...
Keep Reading Yesterday was Good Friday. Tomorrow Jesus is going to rise. But Saturday he’s in the tomb. What is the significance of today? There’s many answers. Our God is a God of beautiful design and reasoning. This gospel plan...
Keep Reading Yesterday was Good Friday. Tomorrow Jesus is going to rise. But Saturday he’s in the tomb. What is the significance of today? There’s many answers. Our God is a God of beautiful design and reasoning. This gospel plan...
Keep Reading Our Lord’s words here tell a precious promise. A guilty, crucified criminal is heading to Paradise. The same day he’s punished for his crimes, he’s promised by his Creator to be in glory. How did such a drastic change of destinations come about for this thief? Why did Jesus say what he did?...
Keep Reading Psalm 91 promises, “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.” (Psalm 91:4-6) This is God promise. It’s true. Yet pestilence an...
Keep Reading You could look back at this coronavirus season as one of the times where you grew exponentially in Christ. Or not. We each have the opportunity years from now to remember this season...
Keep Reading You could look back at this coronavirus season as one of the times where you grew exponentially in Christ. Or not. We each have the opportunity years from now to remember this season...
Keep Reading Coronavirus is spreading fast. Schools are being shut down. Events have been cancelled. And governments all over the globe are buckling down in an attempt to halt the pandemic. How are we as Christians to respond? While God’s world seems to be in panic, how are God’s people to act?...
Keep Reading Coronavirus is spreading fast. Schools are being shut down. Events have been cancelled. And governments all over the globe are buckling down in an attempt to halt the pandemic. How are we as Christians to respond? While God’s world seems to be in panic, how are God’s people to act?...
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“Images have always become substitutes for God, and no age makes more images than our age,” writes Tony Reinke in his recent book Competing Spectacles (117). He’s right, but we Christians often we miss this. We know that in ancient times people made idols out of images. We read prophetic denouncements (like from Isaiah 44:9-20) and wholeheartedly agree. We know these...
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The plagues and the Exodus. These are famous displays of the wonders of God. Much has and could be written about this time in history. But I want to focus in this short post on the flies and the chariot wheels. Yes, those pesky flies, and yes, just the chariot wheels in the story. These might seem like they aren’t anywhere near the main point of the story, but God used t...
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Evil is thwarted, undermined, and outdone by the love of God. This is true especially at the cross where the love of God defeated the darkness that has spread over the world. By dying in the place of his people, God in his love enabled sinners to be genuinely forgiven, reconciled to him, and transformed. There, God’s love won......
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What really do our prayers accomplish when it comes to massive, worldwide issues? Do our prayer actually impact big problems and events that affect millions of people? To say the least, worldwide issues are complicated. There are innumerable moving parts in such things. So, once again, do our prayers really do much here?...
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With what can we compare God’s love for his people? C.S. Lewis provides us with four helpful analogies to picture God’s love...
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Being “in Christ.” Unified “with Christ.” It is one of the most important ideas in the New Testament...What I’ve noticed, however, is that we can hear this terminology often, especially in gospel-centered circles, but not clearly know what it means. We hear that our “identity is in Jesus,” that we're "united to him," that "it's all about Jesus," but what does...
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One of my favorite miracles of Jesus is one that isn’t talked about too much. It probably is less famous because of how short it is; or because it only occurs in one of the Gospel accounts; or especially because it doesn’t directly impact anyone who is suffering or sick like so many of Jesus’ miracles wonderfully do. But the reason I love it so much is because of wha...
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Christians know the daily grind: We live in a world which is vying for our affections and actions, wrestling us and trying to make us forget God and live for self. It's governed by the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2), influenced by those who "do not honor God as God nor give a to him" (Romans 1:21), and filled with people living for money, sex, and power. ...
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Three days after he died on the cross, Jesus of Nazareth rose from his grave. And we’re talking about historical fact when we make such a claim: Jesus of Nazareth was born around 4 B.C. and lived until around 30 A.D., he was crucified under Pontius Pilate on a Friday, and he came back to life a few days later on a Sunday. If you could go back around 2,000 years, you coul...
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